Children of the Well
by Moonshadow Maeve
Summary: Ever wondered what Inuyasha and Kagome's kid would be like? Or Sesshomaru and Rin's? How about Sango and Miroku's? Well we did. And Inuyasha's kid has no knowledge of him. This could be interesting.
1. Of Mothers, Fathers, and Daughters

~ Children of the Well ~ 

  
  
  


Author's note, fun! Well, let's get this over with, disclaimer: No, we don't own InuYasha, however much we would love to, we aren't going to lie to ourselves. Rumiko Takahashi has them. We are in the process of 'persuading' her that it would be better in our hands, but . . . Hey, we DO own Midori and Sesshomika. Anyway, on with the show!

  


Chapter One 

Of Mothers, Fathers, and Daughters

  


Midori slammed the door shut behind her as she stomped out of the house. She was so angry she couldn't even speak, which, for her, was very strange. She was hardly ever quiet or at a loss for something to say, a trait that, ever since she could remember, her mom had blamed on her father.

That was the only thing Midori ever remembered hearing her mom say about her father, other than that the subject was closed. Her mom would go all cold and silent if she was questioned any further. It was really creepy. It was almost like he had dropped off the face of the earth or something, and with all that mystery and so little imformation, her mom couldn't blame her for being just a _little_ curious. He _was_ her father, after all, didn't she have a right to know? And, anyway, it was her own fault really for not saying anything about him.

She shook her head angrily. She didn't like this train of thought. It was doing nothing except reminding her of the conversation she had with her mom earlier.

It had begun so simply, just like every other morning since fifth grade. The only thing she had done wrong was ask a question about her father, a small, insignificant question, and her mom had overreacted, as usual . . . 

"So, Mom, are you going to tell me the truth today?" she had asked as she came into the kitchen. "Am I some kind of Jesus child, or do I actually have a father? You know, like normal kids?"

"Well, dear," Kagome began, "I had hoped to keep this from you, but I guess you would have found out sooner or later. You were born of a virgin." She quickly turned around and began washing the dishes again.

"Uh huh. Riiight, Mom. Do you really expect me to believe that? Well, here's a newsflash. I stopped believing the stork brought me when I was six. Tell me the truth, Mom! Why won't you talk about him? What, did he leave you barefoot and pregnant or something?"

"Midori, I will not talk about him. How many times do I have to tell you that!?"

"Hmm, well, let me think . . . ONE! This is the first time you've ever even admitted I had a father!"

And, while she was more angry than anything else, she was also amazed. She had actually gotten her mom to admit it! She had actually said the words! She stared quietly at her mom, wondering if she would say more.

"Well, of course you have a father!" Kagome had yelled then, exasperated. "How in the hell do you think I had you!? Gods, Midori, you are exactly like your father!"

The last comment made Midori hesistate, but only for the smallest part of a second. Time enough to think about that later. "According to you, I was 'born of a virgin,'" she said, hoping to get more information out of her. She shook her head. "Wow, Mom, you're a living miracle. A virgin one moment, not the next. So, which is it?" she asked lightly. "Are you a virgin or not? Do I have a father or not?"

Kagome threw down the plate she had been washing. It shattered on impact with a sharp tinkling sound on the floor. She whirled around to face her daughter. "Midori, don't you have to be leaving for school? I mean . . . you don't to be late again, do you?" And she quietly walked out of the kitchen.

"Fine. If you want to get rid of me, that's just fine," Midori muttered as she grabbed her bag off of the table and swung it easily over her shoulder, "but you can't run from the subject forever, MOM!"

And so, here she was, walking down the steps that led from the house to the shrine with the wind blowing her hair annoyingly into her face.

So, she acted like her father, huh? Good. She didn't want to be like her mom in any way, shape, or form. Who in their right mind would? She certainly didn't look like her, that was for sure. There had been times when she was growing up that she wondered if maybe she had been adopted, the two looked so different, but, unfortunately, no such luck. She was slightly taller and lighter than her mom, and while Kagome had long, black hair and dark brown eyes, Midori wore her strange thick silver-white hair shoulder length and her eyes were the color of pure amber. She was also stronger and faster than anyone else she knew. She was on the track team and could run the hundred meter in less than two seconds; she had beaten the school record her first day there. 

She had always supposed these were things she had inherited from her mysterious father. She couldn't think of anyone else she could have picked them up from, since her grandma and Uncle Souta were both like her mother and, of course, she had never met anyone from her father's family . . . 

Although, she reminded herself suddenly, she couldn't really say she had never seen anyone that looked a little like her, and Midori found herself remembering an incident she hadn't thought about in years. 

She couldn't have been more than four years old at the time, which was probably why she had almost completely forgotten about it. She remembered playing outside with her mom, they had been bouncing a huge red rubber ball back and forth, when Kagome threw the ball a little too hard and Midori missed catching it. It rolled down the steps to come to a perfect stop right in front of the well house.

Laughing, she had ran down to get it as her mom watched her closely from the top of the stairs. She grabbed her ball, a sudden shadow falling in front of her, and looked up to see a tall, slender man standing just inside the doorway. He was dressed in a strange red outfit - to this day she hadn't seen anything else like it - with a sword tied to his waist, but mostly she remembered his hair and eyes. Long, thick, and messy, his hair had been the same color as hers, and his eyes were a cold, glinting golden amber . . . except they hadn't seemed cold at all when he had looked at her. He had smiled then, and it softened his face, making him look gentle, nice. She had liked him instantly.

He held out a hand to her, they had been clawed, she remembered now, but she had taken in without hesistation, tucking the ball under one arm and letting him lead her up the steps. 

"Look, Mommy," she had said proudly when they reached the top, "I have a new friend!"

Kagome didn't seem to hear her; instead she stared at the man, a mixture of pain and anger in her eyes, which were glittering with tears. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "We promised."

The man's hand had tightened protectively around Midori's even as his eyes narrowed in fury. "You think I don't remember that!?" he yelled. "I'll leave you in peace just as I promised I would, Kagome, but there is no way in all the hells I am going to go without seeing my child once." 

Midori looked back and forth between the stranger and her mommy, wondering who he was talking about. It couldn't be her. Her father was a bad man, not nice like her friend. Her mommy wouldn't be afraid of him if he wasn't mean . . . but she was acting a lot like she was afraid of her new friend, too . . . 

She stared up at him, her eyes wide, afraid now, although she didn't pull her hand back.

"Inuyasha," Kagome finally said, "we . . . you can't. We did this for her safety. But . . . I want . . ." She sighed, her eyes closed. "You _should _see her."

"Thank you, Kagome," he whispered with a nod of his head, then he knelt down to Midori's level. She started to draw away from him, but he smiled, and her fear of him evaporated. He couldn't be mean. Mean people didn't have nice smiles. "Hello, Midori," he said. "I'm Inuyasha."

"Hello!" she replied cheerfully, smiling back. She looked him over again. Now that he wasn't towering over her anymore, she could see all of him, and she suddenly noticed the pointed, furry ears nestled in his hair. She pointed to them. "How come you have kitty ears?"

"It's just the way I am."

"I like 'em!" she told him. "They're like my kitty cats ears!"

Inuyasha grinned at that. "And what is your kitty's name?" he asked.

"Neko!"

Kagome came up behind Inuyasha and laid a hand on his shoulder. She was actually smiling. "She's a lot like you, isn't she?" she said, then, seeming to realize what she was doing, let go and turned away from him. "You had better go," she whispered. "For both of us."

Inuyasha stood. "Come back with me, Kagome," he pleaded as he took her hand, making her face him. "We can make this work. Naraku is dead now. He isn't a threat to us anymore."

"Yeah, Mommy, can we?" Midori asked excitedly, taking her mom's other hand.

Kagome glanced away. "No," she whispered. "There's no way, Inuyasha. It's just too dangerous for her." She looked back at him again, a small, tired smile on her face. "You know we can't," she said quietly as she placed her hand gently against his cheek. "I'm sorry. More sorry than you'll ever know." 

Midori saw Inuyasha jerk back, his face hardened as he said, "I am too, Kagome. I'll leave now." 

He began to jump down the steps, but, not wanting to lose her new friend, Midori ran after him. She grabbed his hand. "Don't go, I . . . Inu . . . Inuyasha," she pleaded. 

He didn't answer right away; he met Kagome's eyes, his own sparkling. "I have to," he said, running a hand through her silky hair once. "I'm sorry."

Once again, he turned to go; this time it was Kagome's voice that stopped him. "Wait!" she called. She moved closer to him, then, reaching her arms around his neck, took the command rosary. "So we always have a piece of you with us," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.

Inuyasha stared at her for a long moment, then gave her a small nod, and with that he was gone in a blur of red. Kagome and Midori watched after him, Midori with tears in her eyes. 

After a few minutes of silence, Kagome slowly bent down to Midori and placed the necklace around her neck, then suddenly Midori found herself in her mom's arms. "I love you so much, Midori," she sobbed.

Confused, Midori hugged her mom back, saying uncertainly, "I love you, too, Mommy."

It was strange, she thought to herself as she fingered the black and white beaded necklace that she still wore after all these years, that she had never stopped to wonder more about Inuyasha. It was obvious her mom had cared about him a lot; he was the only man she ever remembered her mom letting touch her, or even near her for that matter. Could he really be her father? And if he was, where was he now? Had he left them again? Well, obviously. He wasn't around; for some reason, her mom hadn't wanted him there. Why was that? He hadn't seemed dangerous to her. Where had he gone to so fast? And . . . what was the deal with the ears? Or had she just imagined them?

A soft, constant creaking sound interrupted her thoughts. She looked around, annoyed. It was coming from the well house door, which was hanging open and blowing in the wind.

_That's weird, _she thought. The well house was always kept locked, ever since the day Inuyasha had paid them a visit fourteen years ago. Kagome said it made her feel safer. _Who in their right mind would want to break in there? _she wondered warily, even as she went toward it.

Slowly, carefully Midori pushed the door open all the way and stepped inside. She had never been inside the well house before, her mother had forbidden it, and she had obeyed, since it really didn't mean that much to her. Now, she wished she had never come in at all. It was creepy and as cold as ice inside, not to mention too dark to see anything except black outlines. She shivered, from the cold or some thing else, she didn't know; what she did know was that she got the distinct feeling she shouldn't be in there.

She started to back out, but by then her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she saw the well, and . . . she couldn't . . . just couldn't. Instead, she found herself walking in further, down the two wooden plank steps, toward the well, until she stood over it.

Then, before she even got a chance to stare into the void beneath her, something pulled her in . . . 

  



	2. Meetings, Partings, and Reunions

~ Children of the Well ~ 

  
  


Thank you, Kikyous Revenge (Angee), that was the absolute sweetest! You literally made us jump up and down with your review - and, let's face it, everyone loves to have their egos stroked now and then. : ) This is for you, girl! Disclaimer: We do not own InuYasha, that priviledge belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. *sigh* Can't always get what you want, can you? Oh well. We'll live. We DO own Midori, Sesshomika, Mishi, Sachi, and Haru, though, so no stealing, or you will face the wrath of the T-chans! Mwuhahahahaha! *cough, cough*

Alright, on with the chapter. : )

  


Chapter Two

Meetings, Partings, and Reunions

  


Sesshomika floated around on a cloud through the Forest of Inuyasha, bored to death. Her father had told her to stay away from the forest, but had never explained why, and so she had no qualms with disobeying. 

She decided to see if there was anything she could do to amuse herself near the God Tree, another place she had been expressly forbidden to go. Not that she cared one way or the other, it held no interest for her most days, but there was usually something to do around the area, and so today she went.

She hopped off her cloud and into the tree. She smelled something . . . strange. 

_Gods, _she thought, _not another hanyou. They are no fun to toy with; they aren't even enjoyable to kill. _But whatever it was, it didn't even smell half demon. It had demon blood, but it seemed muted under something else, something stronger. Almost human, but . . . not. This thing stunk. Just plain stunk.

She had reached the Bone Eater's Well, unconsciously walking toward the smell. She looked into the bottom. A pile of green and white lay there motionless. She peered closer. It was a . . . human . . . with the same silver white hair all inu youkai were born with. Sesshomika took a long whiff of the curious, horrible scent. Yes, this . . . creature wasn't even a hanyou, but a half hanyou._ It _wouldn't even be as strong as a hanyou in battle. 

_Gods be damned, _she thought. _This isn't even worth my time. Father will be wondering where I am. _

~ * ~__

Sesshomika sat down next to her father for their afternoon meal.

"Where have you been all day?" Sesshomaru asked. "You reek of humans."__

"I've been around." She wasn't about to admit that she had been in Inuyasha's forest.__

"You didn't go to a village and terrorize them again, did you?"

"No, Father. I haven't done so in nearly six years." Sesshomika looked at her plate. "I remember your lesson on never killing a human without reason well." And oddly, she still had the scars from that lesson, too. When he had found her torturing a village he had moved as if to slap her face, but at the last second she had looked up and his claws had left three long, thin scars on her neck. She hadn't even cried out. She had just held her head high and let her father speak on how never to harm humans without just cause.

Sesshomaru watched his daughter; whether she knew it or not, Sesshomika reminded him strongly of her mother when she was quiet, thinking to herself, she wore the same gentle expression. He remembered that day well, and when he had drawn the blood of his only child,he had regretted it deeply. He had raised his hand in anger against her. After six years, he still wasn't accustomed to having to deal with his daughter. Gods, how he wished he could take back that day! He took a deep breath. He smelled Inuyasha. And Kagome.__

"Where did you go?" he asked, a seriousness sharpening his usually distant voice. "It is very important that you tell me everything that happened today."__

"I grew bored this afternoon and so I flew over . . ." Sesshomika stopped, unsure if she should risk it.__

"This could be very important. Tell me. Now."

"I . . . I traveled to Inuyasha's forest, because there is usually something amusing to do around the God Tree. And I smelled someone. At first I . . . I thought it was human_, _but then I smelled youkai on it as well. I followed and found that it came from the dried up well near the tree. I looked in and found a . . . a human with silver hair. But she smelled less than half-youkai. And she wasn't old, Father. Her hair was like mine, like ours, but it was such a mess. Do you know who she was? Or what she was?" __

"Yes. I know exactly who she is. She is a half-hanyou. I know who her parents are, as well." He looked at his daughter. "Sesshomika, I never want to catch you any where near that forest," he said, his voice turning to ice as he growled deep within his throat. He hoped, for her safety, she heeded his warning.

  


~ * ~ __

  


_This is going to be difficult,_ Kaede thought, watching the young girl as she stirredthe herb broth with the slow, practiced motions of a true potions mistress. _Ye are mistaken, Inuyasha, if ye think ye can hide her heritage from her forever. She will certainly find out one day, and what then? How do ye then plan to hide?_

She shook her head with a soft sigh. She had tried to tell him it was pointless to keep up the charade now that the girl had found her way through the well, but it was no use attempting to give the hanyou sound advice of any kind; willful and stubborn, he heard only what he chose, and she couldn't very well tell her herself, either. That was a task for the mother or father, and even had she not felt that way, she had given Kagome her word that she would say nothing. She would just have to trust to fate that Inuyasha and Kagome hadn't made too large an error . . . 

Kaede turned away from the broth to study this girl, Midori, as she slept under Inuyasha's rad haori. Her short hair fell in soft, snowy wisps around her face, which was peaceful at the moment in sleep, the long, dark eyelashes contrasting with her pale skin. It was almost eerie how much she resembled her father, but, looking closer, she could pick out small traces of Kagome as well. The shape of the eyes and face were that of Kagome . . . as was the strong inner power the old priestess could sense radiating like white fire from the girl. There was no disguising the fact that she, like her mother, was a miko - and an amazingly strong one if she was correct in her assumptions. Never before had she sensed such strength in a person. She was far stronger than Kagome, and stronger even than Kikyo. She supposed it to be, in part, because of the demon blood that came from Inuyasha, which might heighten any powers she had, but whatever it was, she was stronger than any priestess that had come before her.

_She will be a formidable opponent if anyone should cross her, _she thought. 

Slowly, Midori stirred and sat up, rubbing her head groggily. Kaede ladled out some of the herbal broth into a wooden cup, and handed it to the girl before sitting down beside her. She accepted it willingly, almost as if only half aware of what she was doing. She took a drink, grimacing at the bitter taste.

"Where am I?" she asked.

Kaede thought about how to answer, and decided that only part of the truth would do. It was better not to shock her too much at once. "In our village, child," she answered simply.__

"And that would be where?"

The old woman sighed, saying, "It is difficult to explain."__

"Try me, lady," Midori said flatly. "I got _pulled _down a well today, and ended up . . . wherever this is. I'll believe almost anything you say."__

"Ye are in Japan."

Midori raised her fine, dark eyebrows. "I hate to tell you this," she said, "but that's where I was before this happened, and this definitely doesn't feel the same as that."__

_ She has taken on Inuyasha's attitude as well, I see, _Kaede thought wryly. "Understandable," she said, "for ye are no longer in the Japan ye knew."

"Well, now, that makes everything so much clearer, doesn't it?" Midori snapped.__

"I once heard it called by the name 'Feudal Japan.' That is all I can say."__

The girl's eyebrows shot up in surprise and disbelief, and she looked around the hut, taking in everything at a glance, as if that would solve anything; she then shrugged and turned her gaze back to Kaede, oddly accepting of her strange, new situation, although, lurking in the depths of her amber eyes, Kaede could see the dawning shock and awe that would no doubt over-take her soon.__

"If you say so," she said. "So, who are you, anyway?"__

"Kaede. Priestessof this village," she answered.

Midori nodded, accepting this, too. She took another sip from the cup she still held in her hands, her face screwing up. "You know, Kaede, this stuff is horrible," she commented. 

Kaede chuckled. She was even more like Inuyasha than her appearance warned.

  


~ * ~ 

  


Sesshomika woke to the sun. _Gods, _she thought, _why can't I ever sleep past dawn?_ She stood up and put on her kimono. What was she going to do today? She took a deep breath and got a whiff of her human half. That was it! She would go to Kaede's village and get the Shikon no Tama. Then she would be able to become a full youkai. She hated that she was half human, only a hanyou. She was positive it was the main focus of all her father's disappointment. It be so embarrassing for him to have to see his daughter everyday and to have to introduce a half youkai, half human creature as his daughter, as the Lady of the Western Lands.

Her father hated humans, and always had. He had, in a moment of weakness, mated with her mother. He hadn't even wanted her around until after her mother had died, and even then she had a feeling that he didn't truly desire her company. But today she was going to make him proud to call her daughter. Today she was going to hold the Shikon no Tama in her hands. Today she was going to become a full youkai.

She walked outside and summoned a cloud, a simple trick her father had taught her when she was eight. She headed toward the Forest of Inuyasha. _I am sorry, Father, _she thought. _You'll have to understand later. _

It wasn't long before she was within an easy distance of Kaede's hut. She dropped down off of her cloud and made her way there through the forest. She stopped just inside the stand of trees, to observe the place. It was just as she remembered it, a small, homely place, comforting . . . but barring her way to the door was a hanyou. _Gods be damned. _She hadn't wanted blood to be smelt by her father, but she had to do this.

She walked out into the open and took a deep breath, readying herself to fight. The hanyou smelled dimly like her father . . . interesting . . ._ I had better do this now. _

She looked the hanyou over, assessing him. He looked very much like she did: silver hair, only his was untamed and much thicker, but the same golden eyes peered out at her. And he, too, like all other inu hanyou, was cursed with the pointed, furry ears, just as she was, and their skin was the same pale cream color. They were related. How, she didn't know, and at the moment, it didn't matter. 

Sesshomika bared her claws and looked directly at him. "I am Sesshomika." She had always believed in letting her kills know her name. "I am here for the Shikon no Tama, and you are in my way."


End file.
